TARASHA Episode 14 Pt 6 – Oyin Oluwatosin Emmanuel
~~~~ ‘You may need to see her, she’s the lady who sent in the last CV’ Sylvester explained. Tarasha turned her face down, patiently waiting for Henry to turn to her front and probably take a look at her face. He wondered what his expression would be, but whatever his would be, she was ready for him, she already kept a straight face for him. ‘Oh!’ Henry paused. ‘You invited her for an interview already?’ He gave Sylvester a look of disappointment. ‘No’ Sylvester objected. ‘I didn’t invite her’ he tried to explain but Henry turned back already. ‘No need to disturb your interview, I’ll come back later’ Henry said as he opened the door and stepped out. ‘I didn’t…’ Sylvester got up from his seat to explain better but Henry did not wait to listen. Sylvester felt deeply angry with Kimberly, she had got Henry to believe that he invited her for the interview after which they had planned together to work with those available first and not employ for the main time. He heaved a sigh and turned his gaze to her, the expression on her face showed that she was sorry for the misunderstanding caused. ‘Just get out’ Sylvester said calmly, his anger reduced a little by the remorse shown on her face. ‘I’m sorry sir’ she pleaded. ‘I didn’t mean to…’ ‘Leave please’ he insisted, his voice sounding harsher. ‘I’m…’ ‘Leave’ he slammed angrily, trying his best not to raise his voice. Tarasha picked her bag and got up hurriedly, she proceeded to the door. Sylvester sat back into the seat and began to shut down the computer system. ‘When should I return sir?’ Her voice came softly again after he thought she had left. He looked up and heaved a sigh of frustration, staring at her face coldly. She stepped stepped out and closed the door. Sylvester got up after the computer was completely shut down. He noticed a file on the table and picked it up. ‘Kimberly Alexander ‘ the title read. He hissed and dropped it. ++++ Dakolo was silently reading to himself the result of the test by the forensics team, Ken was seated in the visitor’s seat behind the table. The test report proved their claim positive, the substance used by the assassin group in the USA was the same used by Samantha Osman’s group. Other details apart from the substance sample was also sent. The other details included the report from the CCTV camera system control point and medical reports on the bodies of victims. ‘It’s confirmed. A deadly group of assassins have been unleashed into the world. Only God knows where they are from’ Dakolo said after he was through reading it. Ken only glanced at his face and sighed in response. ‘Make you do send every detail we have also to them’ Dakolo said to Ken, handing over the paper back to him. He took out his phone and dialed the NSCC office. ‘Hello Mr Sylvester, I’ll be in your office in the afternoon time, I need to get a copy of the reports on all you’ve done on rectifying the breach problem.’ He ended the call and stared at Ken’s face. ‘Let’s go see Mr Debo’ he said and got up from his seat. Ken also got up immediately. Mr Debo was the personal assistant to Chief Jubril Lawal, the one who was sent to the NSCC to rectify if the Canadian number was original. He had been invited for questioning by the police. Debo was ushered in to meet the agent and Ken in the interrogation room. He was dressed casually, looking somehow distressed. ‘Good morning sir’ Dakolo greeted cheerfully after the man was seated comfortably. ‘Good morning Officer’ Debo replied, sniffing in. He used his handkerchief to wipe his face and his nose. He looked at Dakolo in the face, they were about the same age so he felt no need to be timid. ‘Thanks for honouring our invitation’ ‘You’re welcome’ ‘Okay, let’s go straight to the point.’ Dakolo adjusted his seat in readiness for the real business. ‘I’m hundred percent sure that you are aware that investigation on the death of Chief Jubril, your late boss is still ongoing’ ‘Yes’ ‘I know you’ve been questioned before but I also know it was a brief one and it only happened on the day of the assassination at the events centre’ Dakolo paused to look at his face for a confirmation. He continued talking after getting one. ‘We’ll like to get more details from you since you were there on that day. We are also aware that you were his personal assistant and that means you were very close to him.’ Debo nodded slowly to confirm Dakolo’s assertion as there was a pause again. Dakolo continued. ‘I’ll like you to work with us by answering all questions we would ask you. We may be repeating some questions we’ve asked you before, please answer them again like you haven’t heard them before. The reason is that we want some clear cut answers that you may not have been able to give us that day, probably because of the panic caused by the whole disaster’ Debo shrugged, signaling for them to begin with the questions. Dakolo looked him in the face, he folded his arms and relaxed his back. Ken clicked open the audio recording icon on his device. ‘In the past few months, has there been any suspicious movement Chief Jubril was involved in? Did he make new friends? Or get involved with a strange friend you’ve but being seeing him with?’ Dakolo posed the first set of questions. ‘No’ Debo frowned as he pondered on the question. ‘He didn’t make any new friends, even those invited for the party were all old friends and associates which I’ve always known him to be friends with’ ‘Do you know all of these old friends that were present in the party?’ ‘Yes, I was in charge of sending the invitation letters to the guests’ Debo replied. ‘I have a list of all the guests we were expecting that day’ ‘Okay, was it only these expected guests that graced the party?’ ‘No, some came with friends. Their friends were also notable people though. Some came with their aides. We had to prepare extra gate passes’ ‘No suspicious attendee was noticed?’ ‘None.’ ‘Was there a video coverage of the event or how do you know if an unexpected guest came?’ ‘No, the Chief did not want the press in his party, they were locked out. The only coverage that could have seen any unexpected person was the security cameras installed in the hall but there was tight security at the entrance, so the person that carried out the assassination couldn’t have been our guest’ ‘Are you saying that you’re sure that your guests are innocent?’ ‘No, I’m not saying they are innocent but I’m saying that the killer didn’t come in through the entrance meant for the guests because their was a proper system installed to search and detect any dangerous materials or weapons’ Dakolo paused for a while, still staring straight at the man’s face. ‘Was the Chief involved in any fight or argument close to that day?’ ‘No, none that I’m aware of’ ‘Did he start a business deal with a new person, group of people or company?’ ‘Ermm… Yes, there was this young lady that wanted to start a deal with the Chief, she was from Canada’ ‘A young lady?’ Dakolo asked, Debo nodded in affirmation. ‘Only the young lady? Which company was she sent from?’ ‘Yes, it was only that young lady recently. She was sent from her father’s company in Canada’ ‘Have you had any previous deal with this company?’ ‘No, it was the first time we had anyone from Canada who wanted to partner with us’ ‘Okay, but did you have anyone else who wanted to or struck a deal with your company recently?’ Dakolo asked, his tone showing that he disregarded the young girl’s option. ‘No, that was the only one’ ‘Okay, let’s move to…’ ‘That girl was suspicious’ Debo put in quickly, a very serious look appeared on his face. ‘Chief Jubril did not totally trust her. He asked me to make an investigation on veracity of her contacts in Canada’ ‘Hmm…’ Dakolo seemed more interested now. He bent forward and placed his hands on the table. ‘Did you make the investigation?’ ‘Yes, I started it. It wasn’t completed before the Chief was murdered’ ‘What investigations did you start with?’ ‘I tried to confirm if the number calling from Canada was really from Canada and also trace it to the company there’ ‘So?’ ‘I was supposed to get a reply on it the day after the Chief’s birthday’ ‘And you’ve not gotten the reply till now?’ ‘Yes, I didn’t ask for it since then’ ‘How were you working on verifying the contacts? Did you come to the police?’ Dakolo asked with a frown. ‘No, the Chief sent me to his friend at the NSCC, Mr Sylvester. I was later referred to Henry E.G who was the only one who could do the job. He…’ ‘Henry Ekene George?’ Dakolo cut in to confirm, wondering why Henry had never mentioned to him that he once worked with the late Chief Jubril. ‘Yes, he was working on it and promised that he’ll be ready…’ Debo stopped as he remembered something. ‘The report was supposed to be ready in three days but when I went to the NSCC’s office on that day, Henry wasn’t there. Mr Sylvester mentioned that he had gone to the police station to make a report on his kidnap’ he continued. ‘Kidnap?’ ‘Yes, he was kidnapped with his girlfriend then, I don’t know for how long they were with the kidnappers’ ‘True’ Ken joined the conversation to confirm Debo’s words. Dakolo turned to look at him as he began to explain. ‘I’m in charge of that case. He was kidnapped with a friend but they didn’t stay up to a day in abduction’ ‘The police stepped in?’ Dakolo questioned. ‘They actually escaped before the police stepped in. The kidnappers had a disagreement’ Ken answered. ‘So, have the kidnappers been arrested?’ ‘No sir, we couldn’t arrest them that day. They escaped before we got to the place. The place is locked up till date’ ‘Okay, what is being done on that case?’ ‘We…’ ‘Sorry’ Dakolo cut in to add another question. ‘Have the files of the kidnap case also been submitted to me?’ ‘Yes sir’ Ken answered, Dakolo nodded for him to continue. ‘I made thorough investigations with my team last week and the people suspected to own the place are dead.’ ‘Dead?’ ‘Yes sir, they are dead but we’ve been able to verify how they died or the cause of their death but while checking the citizen’s details on the forum, their names have been marked as dead’ Dakolo took in a breath and turned back to Debo. ‘What’s the name of the lady and which company from Canada was she from?’ ‘Her name is Alexander Evelyn from AA, Alexander Amaechi Ltd’ Debo answered. ‘Can you recognise her if you see her?’ ‘Ermm… No’ Debo stated. ‘I didn’t see her face properly, I don’t even have an idea of how she looks’ ‘Huh ho! How is that possible?’ Dakolo sounded with a note of disbelief. ‘She was brought in by Chief Jubril’s son, so she didn’t have to interact with me. She had direct access to the man himself’ Debo explained. ‘And her hairstyle always made it difficult to see her face from the side view’ ‘Hmm… I see. And the son is late also’ Dakolo said loudly, to no one in particular. Ken and the interrogatee remained silent ‘We have to reach Henry E.G and find out what his result on the investigation was’ Dakolo continued. ‘Now, let’s move to the party day’ Dakolo relaxed back into the seat again. Debo adjusted himself also. ‘You were seated on the table next to Chief Jubril’s’ ‘Yes’ Debo confirmed. ‘Did you notice anything that was going on with him?’ ‘I… Didn’t notice anything strange while I was seated. I wasn’t seated for most of the duration. Chief was always sending me on errands’ ‘Were you there when the murderer walked into the Hall?’ ‘Yes, I was but I didn’t see anything. I was under the effect of the gas released. I only opened my eyes after the antidote was sprayed and found the Chief in his pool of blood’ Debo began to sound emotional. ‘Hmm…’ Dakolo gave another brief pause, trying to decide if he should stop the interrogation for the time being since the man’s mood was already changing. He sat up and decided to ask few more questions. ‘Do you suspect anyone?’ ‘None, except for the lady from Canada. It’s just beginning to make sense to me now. She must have been a party to the kidnap of Henry E.G, maybe in an attempt to stop him from destroying their plans. I think she was a fraudster’ ‘Yes, but the crime we are talking about here is not fraud, it’s assassination’ Dakolo said, he stared straight into the man’s eyes and asked, ‘do you think that lady could be Samantha Osman, whom the police are in search of?’ There was a twitch on Debo’s face, he stared up and down again, wondering if he had really come across the infamous and notorious assassin.
